The P1 and P2 chair was a part of Christel’s Honours research focusing on sustainable design. The chairs are inspired by buildings across Asia that use bamboo scaffolding for its properties of strength, flexibility and durability. It identifies ways of using everyday materials to produce a chair that is accessible, comfortable and considers the needs of the environment.

Made from bamboo, concrete and plantation timber, the strength of each chair is provided through layering thin bamboo strips together to make the most of the material’s flexible properties. This process creates a backrest and seat that customises to the unique ergonomics of each body shape. The choice of using concrete addressed the functional need for a heavy base to counter balance the weight of the body. Other material options for the base were considered to reduce the weight, but were unaccessible with the time constraints Christel had as a student. The embodied energy involved with the production of cement is high, however the material has legitimate claims to sustainability in terms of local availability, ease of use and shaping, longevity, and financial affordability. The base also helps extend the life of the chair as concrete gets stronger in time and any damaged bamboo can be replaced. Considering the end of the chair’s life, the bamboo and wood can be composted whilst the concrete form can be reused to make another chair.

Both bamboo and concrete are durable materials suited to both the domestic and protected outdoor environment. This casual seating can belong in both public and private spaces that encourage ‘relaxation’, from social interaction at a café or resort, reflection time in a park or gallery, to the privacy of one’s own backyard. The chairs are an accessible way of achieving universal outcomes using everyday low-tech materials. Each chair can hold the weight of an adult male (90-100kg/220lbs)